An estimated 3000 people gathered in Paris on the 21st of October, to protest against homophobic violence following a series of attacks in the French capital over the last few weeks. The crowds gathered in response to a call made by thirty odd French LGBTQ associations to mobilise against intolerance.
The most recent of the attacks happened on the 16th of October when the president of non-profit organization Urgences Homophobie, Guillaume Mélanie, was attacked as he left a restaurant. Just the day before, two men kissing in a taxi were attacked by their driver.
Mobilisation impressionnante contre les #LGBTphobies Place de la République à Paris. La place est pleine à craquer, contre la haine. #VivreSansHaine #LibreEtVisible pic.twitter.com/K3RrJxEKyL
— SOS homophobie (@SOShomophobie) October 21, 2018
Joël Deumier, president of SOS Homophobie, denounced the fact that, “despite an evolution in mind sets, and despite an evolution in civil rights, homophobia persists in our society.”
An anonymous young woman at the demonstration told French gay magazine TÊTU about a homophobic attack she’d experienced at the beginning of the month.
“What shocked me the most wasn’t the punch, or the violence behind it, but it was the fact that no one reacted. What we’re fighting for today is the right to be ourselves in the streets, and to not be attacked for who we are.”
SOS homophobie reports that there is an LGBTphobic attack in France every three days.
La foule s’amasse sur la place de la République pour le rassemblement contre les #lgbtphobies pic.twitter.com/FqR6jchLEF
— Komitid (@komitid_fr) October 21, 2018
